An integrated integer programming and forecasting model with geographic information systems for spray operations of West Nile disease insecticides

Abstract

Public health agencies and medical organizations have increased their relentless efforts to control the outbreaks of mosquitoes causing West Nile disease epidemics with the re-emergence of deadly disease in the United States. Such measures include a large-scale spray operation of insecticides that can counter the population growth of mosquitoes. This study proposes a business analytics tool that helps determine the optimal number and location of airfields housing insecticide-spraying aircraft, the type (mode) and the number of insecticide-spraying airplanes, and their flight patterns. This study also identifies factors that can enhance and hinder the efficiency of insecticide spray operations by combining a bi-objective integer programming model with a geographic information system and forecasting models within a business analytics framework for the first time.